Author: admin

Bangkok – Industry Linkage Manager Bonifacio Mercado Jr. joined more than 100 delegates from ASEAN gathered for the 9th Regional Policy Dialogue on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) on June 24, 2019 to discuss how to improve TVET’s quality, image and outcomes. Key decision-makers coming from both private and public sectors attended the dialogue.

TVET is considered important in the strategies of ASEAN Member States (AMS), the Philippines included, to upgrade their workforce in line with the requirements of new technologies and new processes for production and service delivery. TVET also aims to prepare the labor force for decent jobs.

Dr. Aladdin D. Rillo, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Economic Community, in his opening remarks, highlighted that the dynamic interplay between innovation and improvement is needed so that TVET can live up to its potential to improve social and economic outcomes. Dr. Rillo emphasized that new and stronger partnerships for TVET are needed across sectors and countries; most importantly, partnerships of mutual learning and exchange across sectors and countries that combine the expertise and resources of business and industry, TVET institution and the public sector.

Since June 2018, a regional working group comprised of 20 representatives from chambers of commerce, business associations, and a range of enterprises from all AMS identified recommendations for policy makers and entrepreneurs aimed at ensuring TVET’s fitness for the future. The 45 recommendations are summarized in a document entitled the “Future ASEAN Agenda for TVET.” The recommendations focus on such areas as enhancing the relevance and quality of TVET regulations and strategies; strengthening the leadership of business organizations in TVET; rebranding TVET; and deepening the collaboration of TVET schools with business and industry.

At the dialogue, the regional working group called on the ASEAN business community to lead the way in implementing the Future ASEAN Agenda for TVET in the years to come. Dato Palaniappan Joseph, speaking on behalf of the regional working group, committed “to invest our time and energy to continue this work, which we have begun in order to make the changes we advocate a reality.” It was emphasised that what counts is the will to act – at the national and regional level as much as at the level of each TVET school or college.

The 9th Regional Policy Dialogue served as a forum to review the recommendations and identify promising approaches and alliances to make the Future ASEAN Agenda for TVET a reality. The Future Agenda will be presented to the relevant sectoral bodies of ASEAN for integration in their future strategies and work plans.

Since 2014, Regional Policy Dialogues on TVET supported by the Regional Cooperation Programme to Improve the Quality and Labour Market Orientation of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (RECOTVET) on behalf of the German government have become an important forum for exchange on pressing topics of TVET reform for decision-makers from ASEAN. The 9th Regional Policy Dialogue was jointly organised by the ASEAN Secretariat, the ASEAN Business Advisory Council and RECOTVET.

After the 9th Regional Policy Dialogue, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority of the Philippines, with support from the ASEAN Secretariat and RECOTVET, will convene a workshop on “ASEAN TVET Agenda and Governance” that will consider ways by which cross-sectoral and cross-pillar regional cooperation for TVET system development may be undertaken.

Business World, 21 June 2019 – PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has signed an executive order “approving and adopting” the National Technical Education and Skills Development Plan (NTESDP) 2018-2019 prepared by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

The four-year plan, according to TESDA, “serves as a compass that informs the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) actors, movers, and leaders in coming up with responsive policies and implementing programs for the sector, and to support the broader development goals and objectives of the national government.”

Pres. Duterte signed Executive Order (EO) No. 83 on June 17. The Palace released copies of the EO on Thursday.

The NTESDP, according to the EO, was created to “galvanize and strengthen the TVET sector in order to attain global competitiveness and workforce readiness, as well as social equity for workforce inclusion and poverty reduction.”

All national and local government agencies were ordered to adopt, disseminate and support the implementation of the development plan, while the private sector was encouraged to support it.

The President also directed TESDA to ensure that all skills development programs and schemes conform with the objectives of the plan and “aligned” with the Philippine Qualifications Framework and all instituted national standards.

The NTESDP 2018-2019 will be funded by appropriations intended for the skills and development and training programs of TESDA and the respective budgets of the national government agencies involved. (Arjay L. Balinbin)

Young people will soon benefit from training opportunities that will help them land a job in the areas of construction, tile setting, carpentry, masonry, plumbing, industry skills program or even in engineering technology.

This after YouthWorks PH, a five-year youth training and employment project of Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), slated a series of recruitment activities on June 13 and 14 (Thursday and Friday) at the Robinsons Galleria Cebu Activity Center.

The program which aims to connect at least 40,000 young people in the country to tech voc schools and private sector partners who are willing to provide work-based training positions. YouthWorks PH also promotes work-based training for OSYs and unemployed youth.

YouthWorks PH partnered with CITE Technical Institute, Inc., SKILLS + Primary Structures Corporation, SKILLS + Aboitiz Construction to provide prospects opportunities to make them employable such as mock interviews for the applicants. Similar activities will be conducted in Quezon City, Iloilo City, Zamboanga City, Gen. Santos City, and Cagayan de Oro City.

Launched in 2018, YouthWorks PH is PBEd’s five-year, P1.7-billion workforce development project in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development. It aims to make education and training more responsive to the needs of the economy by working with the government, industry and academe to provide opportunities to youth not in education, employment or training.

We teachers often thought we are just another cog in the wheel. Until such time that we felt that our vocation has made some impact on the lives of our students. How many times have teachers felt that “special classroom moment” when students are all agog to listen to your discussions to the extent that they don’t want you to finish the session?

Teachers are now rewired to become a facilitator of learning, guide on the side rather than a sage on the stage. They have gradually turned into inspirational leaders from just nameless functionaries producing competent individuals ready to brave the nagging challenges in life.

Efforts have been focused on training the teachers to become good classroom managers, knowledgeable with the changing styles of the generation Z and the millennial students, and adaptable to the changing technology that has challenged the traditional classroom set-ups.

Last May 6, Dr. Cristie Ann Jaca, associate professor of the University of San Carlos gave a short talk before CITE staff on the adoption of Differentiated Instruction and a premiere of Outcome-Based Education (OBE).

Differentiated learning, in educational parlance, is a framework or philosophy for effective teaching that involves providing all students within their diverse classroom community of learners a range of different avenues for understanding new concept. This can be an anchor to develop a new curriculum based upon individual’s varying needs.

Last June 7, another resource speaker,  Professor Genara Pacaña, Chair of Institute for Research in Innovative Instruction Delivery at Cebu Normal University, made an impression on CITE staff on her session on the Principles of Education and Classroom Management.

Dr. Pacaña uses her own research to support how educators can develop the 21st century skills among students which are pertinent to their success. This includes creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, care, and choice. Dr. Pacaña emphasized the importance of producing competent graduates who can help the country achieve its sustainable development goals in no time.

In the afternoon, Dr. Pacaña gave a short workshop on how teachers develop these 21st century skills among students through the art of questioning. She also made the staff commit to the ideals of the school and remind them that teachers have great responsibility in molding their students.

Upcoming: 

Matmat Limotan was 10 years old when he started joining the Sunday catechism classes. He was a bit shy during the first few meetings, but soon began to open up when he got to know some friends. The group started with 20 pupils about urban area at Purok II, San Jose. The sessions were fun-filled especially when the catechist gets to the part of drawing hands-up participation from doe-eyed pupils who competed for his attention as he threw questions about God.

After a year, the number increased as some pupils told others of the free snacks the group was giving to them whenever they can answer some questions during catechism sessions. The Catechism club led by Mc Art Neil Gamutin was a small group of 5-10 catechists who spent their Sunday afternoon teaching kids about lessons on Creation, Jesus Christ, and Mother Mary.

Mc Art believes that children should start young getting to know God and doing the norms of piety such as holy rosary. That is why during their sessions, catechists like Mc Art emphasizes the importance of prayer. Last May 4, 2019 it was a answered prayer when the Rotary Club of Mactan decided to give out 82 schools bags and school supplies to less privileged kids in San Jose Gym. The civic group led by rotarian Fernando Manglapus and Miss Clemen came to personally hand the school bags to the identified beneficiaries who are mostly catechism pupils.

Some 14 millwrights or  high-precision craftsmen who install, dismantle, repair, reassemble, and move machinery at Philippine Associated Smelting and Refining Corporation (PASAR) underwent the Precision Shaft Alignment Training from January 24 to February 15, 2019  at its LIDE Training Center.

The training aimed to equip the participants with the latest new technology in alignment applications and up the ante in developing maintenance capability to a level and quality where the plant’s machine safety, performance and availability will be at a benchmark level. The training furthers its goal at improving the rotating plant performance through a more time-efficient procedure.

Participants were handpicked from Asset Management Department, specifically from Primary Smelting Maintenance, Secondary Smelting Maintenance, Refinery/Dore Maintenance, SFP/Port Maintenance, and Acid Plant/Utilities Maintenance.

Millwrights contributed to PASAR’s commitment to continual improvement, and its vision of becoming a benchmark smelter.

CITE Training Officer Johnry Gac-ang teamed up with Bill Owen of TAFE Queensland to give the series of month-long upskilling training to millwrights.

Photos and text butchered from PASAR’s Official Publication, “CopperFlash”, Vol. 21, Issue 14, April 24, 2019

Some 30 SHS graduates from Compostela Valley will soon benefit from the chance to study at CITE through a scholarship package from Apex Mining Company, Inc. (AMCI), a gold mining company operating on Maco Mine in ComVal.

CITE’s partnership with AMCI will ensure the second batch of scholars an access to the college diploma in Engineering Technology Program which will address the need for quality graduates to meet the demand of AMCI workforce.

As part of its corporate social initiative, AMCI has earmarked about 11.9 M for educational funds that included Adopt-a-School, Work Immersion Program, and college education for its locals and neighboring communities.

AMCI’s partnership with CITE has provided the recent graduates and graduates of old curriculum to get a better deal in life. The partnership aimed to select scholars with great potential but who face significant financial barriers to entry into higher education.

On April 22-24, 2019, about  68 aspiring applicants coming from different schools participated in the three-day screening process to select the scholarship beneficiaries. Only the top 30 scholars will be selected based on their performance during the rigid screening process.

The screening process included classes in Math, English, Drafting, Workshop, and Physical Education. Parents and applicants were also interviewed to get their commitment. The event was capped with a culminating activity.

Successful scholars will receive a comprehensive support upon selected for the program. With the growth of youth population in  ComVal, AMCI hopes to educate a new generation of leaders who will will create opportunities for others. CITE is just a right step for them, as it did for the first batch of scholars.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ENGR. JOSE ROLAND FLORES

CITE’s adaptation of Paul Dumol’s “Ang Paglilitis Kay Mang Serapio” starts in a gentrifying underworld with dimly-lit rundown interior sets the tone of a trial that shocked even the most matured bystander in the mall.

It is, in fact, the main goal of the play. At its onset, the play immediately grabs the audience by the neck as it introduces the characters whose gravity of their voice and facial expressions are painted with grit and grimes.

The cast, consisted of Grade 11 students from Electrical Engineering Technology Department (2B and some 2A students for the bit parts), played out their parts well with two shows in the row at the activity center of Talamban Times Square on April 5, 2019 as the culmination of their subject in Literature.

Shoppers are shocked by students dressed as beggars as they walk around the vicinity, even so when the actual play began to unfold before their eyes. While the venue was not tightly packed, with only graduating students from San Isidro Parish School and Talamban National High School and patrons, it was a history in the making for Grade 11 students who are all out in their performances.

The first group had to fight against the noise of the streets and had to use their vocal power to relay the story. According to their trainer, Phillip Bernardo Ogang, “It was an opportunity for the actors to play by the ear and use their training in voice projection.”

The play which depicts a seemingly dystopic society where a beggar is tried for raising a child is nothing novel. We all have seen them in movies about underground syndicates. But how lead characters such as Jose Daniel Pregoner and John Renesh Almario alternately portrayed the slow-burning fear in their eyes that escalate as the brutality of their interrogators stakes out is nothing short of an award-winning performance of their lives.

Add the production designs and lighting set-ups of both teams, one would unmistakably conclude that the latest staging (actually the fifth version) is the hardest to beat.

Ultimately, there is nothing anyone in the audience can do as the course of events has been apparent. The message of the play is relevant and bloody part where a crazed executioner is supposedly plucking the eye of Serapio is well executed.

A homage to Dante’s “Inferno”, “Ang Paglilitis Kay Mang Serapio” includes subtle elements of a failing society dramatically portrayed by the members of the cast. It was a dream come true for the team led by directors Clydel Caparida and Mike Tolomia who have labored two months to finally serve a play like no other.

Special thanks goes to CITE for the food, Jonel Jerusalem and an anonymous donor for paying the rent and deposits.